Hand truck



Aprili 1o, 1945. H VOGT 2,373,279

' HAND TRUCK Filed Aug'. 1o, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 29.1. i @ya I nrc/Ital' Hnmr' vosr 4 April 1o,y 1945. H, VOST 2,373,279

HAND TRUCK i Filed Aug. 10, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor Hmm' l/ oefir @Mmm WWW

Patented Apr. 10, 1945 I j PATENT ortica l HAi-iox I I y n l Henry Vogt, Sacramento, Calif.-

Thisinvention relates -tohand trucks and more particularly to such a truck specically adapted for the transportation and -niovement of cylind-rical articles such as :hot Water heaters. e

"A primary object of `this invention is the Drovision of an improved hand truck vfacilitating the movement, transportatiori, and handling of cy lindrical objects,and more specifically, cylindrioalobjects fsuehas" -hot water heaters provided W-ithprotruding legs. Y j A'furtherobject is the 4provision of such a device provided with means utg accommodate such leggedfeyl'indrical objects hav-inglegs of different lengths.` f

- A' still further object is the provision oi a wheeled truck having supplemental wheels'onthe handle-portions thereof whereby the same may be positioned in horizontal alignment with the ground or other supporting surface to facilitate movement of the device through doorways and the like.

. y Application August 10, 1944, 'Serial No. '548,875

- 1.01am. (ci. 23.0%541 Like reference numerals-refer to lilreparts throughout theseveral views oi the drawings.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of outwardly flared handle members comprising additional supports for the device when the same is in horizontal position, the handle members being ared to provide a construction whereby the handles may be more easily grasped when an object such as a Water heater is positioned on the truck. y l

A still further specific object is the provision of an improved locking mechanism whereby the means for accommodating water heaters with legs of various lengths may be securely retained in any desired position of adjustment.

Other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

vIn the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of one form of this invention, certain parts thereof being broken away.

Figure 2 is a top elevational View of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the device shown in Figures l and 2, certain operating parts thereof being removed to show certain other parts.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing certain of the operating mechanism, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure l as viewed from the top.

Hav-ing reference now to the drawings there is generally indicated at II) a suppc'ntingv frame comprised of two tubular side-members II and. I2 connected at Athe top by a) concave tubular member I 3-and at a mid-pointjby'a second concave tubular member I4. Securedto each of members I I and I 2 adjacent their `-lower extremitiesand at right ang-les thereto,a re a pair of depending members lIrland I8, respectively, 4to which,` in tugrn, is secured atransverse axle vI'I, provided adjacent its opposite extretfnitiesy with a pair of xed flanges IIB -to 'prevent the inward ,movementof a pairqof wheels I9 ,rotatably mounted onv axle Il'. Thecuter ends of axle I'I are'threaded as at l2|) and wheels I9 are held in position thereon as vby suitable nuts 2I engaging threaded portions Ztl. Extending betweena mid-point of axle I1 and the mid-point of concave member I4 is a transverse tubular member 22, it here being pointed out that members I5 and I-6 are of a length sufficient to place axle I'l in substantial lateral alignment with the lowermost portion of concave member M.

Tubular member 22 has a plurality of holes `23l bored therethrough at spaced intervals along its entire length. Member 22 has a circular sleeve or collar 24 positioned thereabout for slidable movement along the length thereof, to which is secured a plate 25 having an angularly-disposed extension 26 at its extremities. Extending portion 26 is adapted, when a hot water heater is positioned. on the truck, to abut the bottom of the heater and support the same in position. Sleeve 24 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed aligned apertures 21 adapted to be positioned in registry with any of apertures 23 and tubular member 22. As best shown in Figure 5, a pin 28 having a head 29 is secured as by a chain 30 tothe underside of plate 25, pin `28 being designed to pass through apertures 2"! in sleeve 24 at any of apertures 23 to secure the plate 25 and its extension 26 .in any of a plurality of desired positions at a predetermined-distance from the ends of frame members I I and I2, to accommodate water heaters having legs of varying lengths. Secured to the upper portions of frame members I-I and I2 in any desired manner, as by welding or riveting. are a pair of curved handle members 3| and 32, respectively. These handle members are, as best shown in Figure 2, ared outwardly away from frame I0 to provide easier access to the ends thereof to facilitate handling of the truck. They are also, as best shown in Figure 1, curved downwardly and have secured to their extremities wheels 33 and 34 mounted for rotation on axles 35 and 36 journaled in the ends of the handle members, the arrangement being such that when the truck is supported by wheels i9 and wheels 33 and 34 the frame l0 is substantially horizontal or parallel to the supporting surface of the device.

From the foregoing, the method of using the device should now be readily understandable. Plate 25 and its extension 26 are rst positioned at a suitable point along transverse. tubular mem--v ber 22, such point being determined by the length of the Water heater to be carried thereby, and

pin 28 passed through apertures 21 and the se-` lected apertures 23 to retain the same in the! se-l lected position. Extension 26 is then passed under the base of the water heater andthe truck'vv tilted back to support the same in the mannerof 1 a conventional hand baggage truck. The'heater, A n

2,373,279 "j jj location desired without scratching or marring of cors or furniture. It will also be seen that the device herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings accomplishes all 1the objects of this invention and others including many advantages of great practical utility.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, itis to be understood that all matter herein vis to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

.Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

r'In a device of the character described, in comconcave members connecting said side members,

a depending member extending from each of said side members, an axle secured to said depending such'as installation.v In the event that it is necessary to 'pass the truck through a restricted opening, the device may be lowered to horizontal position and supported :onnwheels V3 3ar1d 34 as wellas wheels I9, and pushed orpulled through an opening of relatively small size. Likewise, if itr is desired to Aleave the heater on the truck the samefinay be lowered to horizontal position and allwedvto vremain there' as long as desired with-v out the possibility pf overturning the device.

It will now be seenvthat by using the device of the instant rinvention one man may move and install afwater -heater withcomparative ease, a task which without the device of the instant in vention lformerly l took the services of at least two men. ItA will also be seen that the water heater or analogous article may be moved directly to the members, wheels mounted on said axle, )a transverse member extending -parallel to said side members between said yaxle and one of said concave members, a supporting plate secured to asleeve having an aperture therethrough slidably mountedonsaid transverse'member, said transverse member havinga, plurality of apertures therethrough, means, including a pin flexibly connected to said plateand adapted to pass through said lirstmentioned aperture and a selected second aperture for securing said supporting plate at one of la plurality of pointsv on said transverse member, outwardly and downwardly ared han-I dle members.securedV to said side members; and wheels rotatably mounted at the ends of said-han-l die members in Asubstantial horizontal alignment with said 'first-mentioned wheels. v

HENRY voor. 

